Over here it is.
Manual gearboxes are the norm here, not autos.
And since the roads here are so crowded, being able to use cruise control is an absolute rarity. The last time I used mine was actually in France over three years ago.
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I have heard that run-flats can save you from a blow-out at high speed, which can happen to standard tyres but is (supposedly) far less likely with run-flats. But I did hear that from a salesman who was trying to sell me a car shod with run-flats, so I didn't take him too seriously.
What issue did you have where they came in handy?